Shortage of small change hits trade in TN, queues continue

Chennai, Nov 17 (PTI) The shortage of small change has hit the state-run liquor outlets, vegetable markets and small vendors in Tamil Nadu even as a large number of people continued to throng banks and ATMs which ran dry within a few hours.

Most of the cash-vending machines remained non-functional and the few that were functioning ran out of cash.

The state-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) liquor outlets, which generate an annual revenue of Rs 25,000 crore, have witnessed a sharp fall in sales due to the Centres demonetisation move.

"There is definitely a significant drop in sales. On an average, per day, the 6,200 outlets do a total business of Rs 60 crore in Tamil Nadu. Since November 8, the business has fallen steeply. The decline in sales would have crossed over Rs 100 crore till yesterday," an official told PTI.

Due to the lack of small change, people have become wary of spending on liquor, he said.

The vegetable market at Koyambedu, which does business of over Rs 4 crore daily, is witnessing poor sales with only a few people turning up to buy vegetables.